If you’ve never considered your pet’s peepers or his eye health before, it’s time to start. Support your dog’s eye health by conducting regular health checks, feeding him a healthy diet, and supplementing with eye-targeted ingredients when necessary.
What To Look For: Healthy Eyes & Your Pet
It’s important to take your dog in for regular Vet visits, but you should keep a close eye on your dog’s eyes in between appointments, as well. Your dog might not like you poking around his peepers, but if you incorporate a quick eye check into his daily grooming routine or as part of playtime, he likely won’t mind much at all.
Check the color of your dog’s eyes, look for any buildup or mucus, and make sure he appears to be seeing well. There’s no exact science to an at-home eye check, it’s just important to monitor your dog and make sure nothing looks abnormal with his eyes!
When your pet’s peepers are healthy and happy, they should appear bright and clear. He shouldn’t have redness surrounding his eyes and his third eyelid should not be visible. If you notice some staining underneath his eyes and near his tear ducts, these are tear stains and they’re totally normal! Certain breeds are more prone to them than others and dogs with lighter colored coats often have more visible tear stains. Don’t worry if this is something you’ve noticed with your dog since they’re par for the course and don’t indicate that your dog’s eyes are in any way unwell.
What To Look For: Unhealthy Dog Eyes
It’s pretty easy to notice when something’s wrong with your dog’s eyes. Your pup will probably be rubbing his face against things to try to relieve itching or be pawing at his eyes in an attempt to clean them if something is wrong. Here are some of the other signs of eye distress you should watch out for:
- Redness
- Swelling
- Squinting
- Discharge
- Watery Eyes
- Discomfort
If you notice any of those things, get your pup to the Vet to discuss his eye health with a professional. There are all kinds of things that can cause your dog’s eyes to get injured or to develop health issues and it’s best to discuss diagnosis and treatment with a professional.
Take a closer look if you suspect something is amiss with your dog’s eyes to try to narrow down the cause of discomfort. Check for visible debris, injury or irritation so you can relay that information to Fido’s Vet.
Eye Care Tips To Help Your Pet
To help prevent eye issues from developing, there’s plenty you can do at home to promote eye wellness. One of the best places to start is by addressing your dog’s diet. Make sure you’re feeding your pet food that is balanced and formulated with fresh, whole ingredients that will meet all your dog’s nutritional needs. If you’re particularly concerned about his eye health, you can also look for dog food that’s formulated with healthy vision in mind. This means it contains ingredients that will support a healthy immune system, contain lots of antioxidants, and include fruits and veggies that have been proven to promote eye health. Here are some other things you can do at home to support your dog’s eye wellness:
Supplement With Eye Targeted Aids
There are plenty of supplements out there that promote eye health for your dog. Look for ingredients that are rich in antioxidants, since they help fight free radicals and prevent age-related health issues from developing for your dog. Also choose a supplement that targets the immune system, since your dog needs a robust immune system for overall health, including eye health. You can also reach for something that contains Omega Fatty Acids since these are necessary for healthy eye tissue.
Trim Things!
Keep your dog’s eye clear to support his vision health. Trim around his eyes so there’s no fur blocking his vision or falling off and agitating his eyes. When your dog’s fur is too pong around his eye area, he’s more prone to walk into things and trip, which could cause him to harm his eyes or himself. It’s best to keep his eye area free from fur, even if he does look adorable when he’s extra shaggy!
Keep His Peepers Clean
Your dog probably gets some crusty buildup or dog eye boogers at times. It’s totally normal, as long as it’s not an everyday occurrence and the eye boogers aren’t too prolific. That said, it is important for you to help your dog keep his eyes clean at all times to help prevent eye issues from developing or escalating. Use a warm, damp washcloth to clean the goobers out of your dog’s eyes. And be gentle! This is a sensitive area and you want to make sure you don’t unintentionally agitate your dog’s eyes.
You can also look for an eye rinse or dog eye drop to help keep his peepers clean. Discuss this with your Vet before trying a new product, to help ensure you’re choosing a product that will work for your dog and his individual health needs.
Pet Honesty Products That Support Dog Eye Health
Adding antioxidants to your dog’s diet is an excellent way to support his eye health. Try a supplement like Allergy Support+ Chews to boost your pup’s immune system health and support his eye. Each chew is packed with Omega Fatty Acids that promote eye wellness and Quercetin, which is rich in antioxidants that help protect your dog’s eyes from free radicals and oxidative stress.
Sources:
https://www.petcoach.co/article/eye-care-for-dogs/
https://clever.pet/blogs/posts/taking-care-of-your-dogs-eye-health
https://blog.eyeconic.com/for-your-entertainment/signs-your-dog-needs-eye-exam.html
